Excessive excitation by neurotransmitters can cause the degeneration and death of neurons. It is believed that this degeneration is in part mediated by the excitotoxic actions of the excitatory amino acids (EAA) glutamate and aspartate at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), the .alpha.-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor, and the kainate receptor. This excitotoxic action is responsible for the loss os neurons in cerebrovascular disorders such as cerebral ischemia or cerebral infarction resulting from a range of conditions, such as thromboembolic or haemorrhagic stroke, cerebral vasospasm, hypoglycaemia, cardiac arrest, status epilepticus, perinatal asphyxia, anoxia such as from drowning, pulmonary surgery and cerebral trauma as well as lathyrism, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases.
The compounds of the present invention may also be useful in the treatment of schizophrenia, epilepsy, anxiety, pain and drug addiction.
EPA 432648, published Jun. 19, 1991, discloses certain isatineoxime derivatives.